Draft tongue for trailers



April 4 H. G. HINIKER DRAFT TONGUE FOR TRAILERS 2 Sheets-Sheet lInventor flair 05172722767."

,2 Attorneys Filed Aug. 50, 1944 April 9, 1946- H. G. HINIKER 2,397,964

DRAFT TONGUE FOR TRAILERS Filed Aug. 30, 1944 2 Sheets-Shet 2 PatentedApr. 9, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,397,964 7 DRAFT TONGUE FOR'mmnns Henry G. Hiniker, Mankato, Minn.

Application August 30, 1944, Serial No. 551.884 .1 Claim. (Cl. 2s033.14)

My invention relates to improvements in draft tongues for hitchingwagons, and other trailer vehicles, to tractors, trucks or similardraftvehicles, the primary object in view being to provide an inexpensive,strong and simply constructed tongue that one man can handle for thepurpose set forth and which is adapted to be extended, or contracted,and to automatically lock in either extended or contracted condition.

Other and subordinate objects are also comprehended by my invention, allof which, together with the precise nature of my improvements, will bereadily understood when the succeeding description and claim are readwith reference to the drawings accompanying and forming part of thisspecification.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of my improved tongue in extendedcondition,

Figure 2 is a view in bottom plan drawn to an enlarged scale,

Figure 3 is a view in longitudinal section,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view in top plan,

Figure 5 is a view in end elevation drawn to a further enlarged scale,

Figure 6 is a view in transverse section takenv on the line 6-6 ofFigure 1 and drawn to an enlarged scale;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary view in top plan,

Figure 8 is a view in transverse section takenon the line 8-8 of Figure7.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, my improved draft tongue, in thepreferred embodiment illustrated, comprises a female rear section I anda male front section 2, each of elongated channel iron form andtelescoping relative to the other for extension and contraction of thetongue in a manner presently clear.

The rear female section I comprises a top 3, sides 4, is open at itsbottom and ends and provided along the lower edges of the sides-4 withinturned longitudinal flanges 5. Rear and front strengthening plates 6,I extend across the bottom of the rear female section I for a suitabledistance, and intermediate said plates 6 and I a cross plate 8 extendsbetween the flanges 5 for the same, said female section I is provided inthe longitudinal center thereof with an aperture Ii in-the top 3, for alocking pin presently described, and at this point'a similarly aperturedwear plate I2 is extended across said top 3. A similar solid wear plateI3 is provided on said top 3 in advanoe of the plate I2, a third wearplate I4 in the rear of said plate I2, and a, fourth wear plate I5 inthe rear of said plate I4, the plate I5 having rising from the frontedge thereof a headed stud I 6 suitably secured in said plate I5. Anupwardly arched transversely extending stop I! rises from through thestop I! and is limited in its swinging movement by said stop. Forwardlyof the stop I1, the locking bar is provided with an upstanding bail-likehand grip 20 from which a looking pin 2| depends through said bar and isadapted to be inserted through the apertured wear plate I2 and thelocking aperture I I.

The front male section 2 also comprises a top 22, sides 23, and is openat itsbottom, said section 2, as will be understood, slidably fitting inthe rear female section I with the sides thereof supported by theflanges5. Adjacent the front end thereof, the male section 2 is provided in itstop with a pin-receiving aperture 24 and a similarly apertured wearplate 25 in said section extending across the top thereof, the aperture24 being located in said section 2 so as to register with the apertureII when the rear end of said male section 2 is engaged with thebeforementioned stop plate Ill. A similar pin-receiving aperture 26, andwear plate 21, are provided in said male section 2 adjacent the rear endthereof, the aperture 26 being located to register with the aperture IIwhen astop-forming cross plate 28 in.

the rear end of said section 2 engages a similar stop 29 bolted, as at30, to the beforementioned plate 8.

Extending forwardly from the male section 2 is a clevis 3| having acoupling pin 32 therein for coupling the male section 2 to a tractor, orthe like, not shown. The clevis 3| is provided with a shank 33 securedat its rear end to the top 22 of said section 2 by a stud bolt 34extending through a. wear plate 34 interposed between said shank andsaid top 22. The shank 33 is further secured to said top 22 by a bolt 35extended upwardly through said wear plate 34 and top 22 and. providedabove said top with a nut 36.

A coupling pin keeper is provided and which comprises a bar 31 looselypivoted at one end on the bolt 36 above the top 22 of the section 2 tobe swung laterally and vertically and having at its opposite end a handgrip knob 38, the arrangement being such that said bar 31 may be swungto pin 32 to prevent said pin from becoming vertically displaced out ofthe clevis 3|. A coil spring 39 interposed between the nut 36 and bar 31urges said bar down flat against the top 22 of the male section 2. A lug39 on the bottom of the bar 31 is provided for engagement with the frontedge of the top 22 of said section 2 to prevent the bar from swingingout of overlying position relative to the coupling pin 32. Obviously, bylifting said bar 31 it may be swung upwardly to free the lug 39 so thatthe bar may be swung laterally into ineffective position, as shown forinstance in Figures 7 and 8. v

Referring now to the operation and use of the described invention, thedescribed female and male sections l, 2 may be slid inwardly,relatively, until the rear end of said male section 2 abuts the stopplate ill, to contract the overall length of th tongue and register theaperture 24 with the aperure H so that the locking pin 2| may beinserted in said apertures to lock said tongue in contracted condition.On the other hand,'said sections l, 2 may he slid outwardly, relatively,until the stop plate28 engages the stop plate 29. to extend the overalllength of the tongue and register the aperture 26 with the aperture llso that the locking pin 2| may be inserted through said apertures tolock the tongue in extended condition. The locking pin 2| may be lifted,by means of the hand 40 grip 20 out of either aperture 24 or 26 andpermitted to ride on top of the male section 2 while said sections I, 2are being slid and so that in either the contracted or extendedcondition of By lifting or withdrawing the locking pin 2| and swingingthe lockingbar I3 laterally, said pin 2| may be positioned to one sideof the aperture H, as shown for instance in Figure 4, so that looking 5will not occur'until the pin is moved into registration with theaperture I The manner in which the clevis 3|, coupling pin 32, and thecoupling pin keeper are operated and used will be clear from, theforegoing description thereof.

7 10 All ofthe described reinforcing, wear and stop position the knobend thereof over the coupling plates may be welded to the sections I, 2carrying the same, and the tops and sides of said sections 2 may beformed of welded plates or angle iron. However, it has not been deemednecessary to illustrate such features, since the same form, per

Manifestly, the invention, as described, is susceptible of modificationwithout departing from the inventive concept, and right is hereinreserved to such modifications as fall within the scope of i theappended claim.

2 What I claim is:

A draft tongue for hitching a trailer to a draft vehicle comprising aair of telescopic femaleand male sections of channel iron form endwiseslidable outwardly and inwardly, relatively, to extend and contract theoverall length of the tongue, coacting stop devices on said sections,respectively, for limiting inward sliding of the sections, coactingdevices on the sections for limiting outward sliding thereof, and meansacting to lock said sections in either limit of sliding movementthereofcomprising a locking bar on one section having a locking pin onone end thereof and being movable laterally and vertically into adisabled unlocking position, said bar being swingably mounted at itsother end on the female section for such lateral and vertical movementand being provided with a manipulating handle on the first-mentioned endthereof, and a stop on the female section arching the tongue, said pinwill drop, under the influence over .said bar to limit swin ing movementof the of gravity, and the spring I 9, into whichever aperture 24 or 26is registered with the aperture ll.

bar both laterally and vertically.

. HENRY G. HINIKER.

